


Quo Fas Et Gloria Ducunt

by spirithorse



Series: Tales from Britannia [11]
Category: Code Geass
Genre: Game of Thrones AU, M/M, Mystical Creatures AU, Suzalulu Week 2017, Temeraire au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-29
Updated: 2017-09-29
Packaged: 2019-01-06 20:55:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 16,164
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12218793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spirithorse/pseuds/spirithorse
Summary: Small fics written for Suzalulu Week 2017 to celebrate the anniversary of Zero Reqiuem.





	1. Thou Shalt Flourish Great and Free

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on tumblr and are being posted here for ease of commenting and archiving purposes. Title is Latin for “where right and glory leads”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for Day 1 for the prompt: AU: Kindergarten. Part of the Temeraire AU. Title taken from Rule Britannia.

Suzaku wrung out the cloth, gently lifting Lancelot’s muzzle. The hatchling hummed sleepily, Suzaku shushing him as he turned the dragon’s muzzle from side to side. He nodded to himself when he saw Lancelot’s mouth was clear of gore. He lowered the hatchling’s head gently into his lap, stroking his fingers over Lancelot’s head.

He couldn’t feel any of the spines that would form when the Malachite Reaper grew up, but he supposed that it was a bit early to start looking for them. Lancelot was barely four days out of the shell, so the dragon would be doubling his size before doing anything. Besides, there were plenty of dragon breeds that developed slowly, like the Celestial. Then again, Suzaku was used to the eastern breeds, he might have to look more into the Malachite Reaper. Lelouch was bound to have some books on the breed; the prince seemed to have books on everything. He’d just have to find the time to read in between his duties as a member of Lelouch’s wing and taking care of Lancelot. The hatchling would take up all of his time for the next few weeks.

He sighed and looked down at the hatchling, smiling as Lancelot attempted to wiggle up onto his lap. Suzaku dropped his hands away, watching as the hatchling draped himself over his lap. Suzaku shook his head, draping one arm over Lancelot’s hindquarters. The hatchling had already grown quickly since his hatching. Suzaku was sure that Lancelot would only be able to fit in his lap for one more day before the dragon was too big, which meant that he had to enjoy it while he could.

Suzaku ran the damp cloth over Lancelot’s body, making his yellow and green scales shine. The hatchling seemed to enjoy it too, Lancelot wiggling closer with soft huffs. It was enough to prove that the hatchling was still slightly awake, although it wouldn’t last long. Lancelot was already starting to sprawl out, the soft noises he was making trailing off into something more like snores.

He ran the cloth over Lancelot’s hide a few more times before twisting around to toss the cloth back into the bucket. He didn’t want to get Lancelot too wet, not when it looked like it was going to rain. Suzaku leaned forward to peer out from underneath the roof of the folly. Storm clouds were starting to roll in, which meant that he might have to close some of the curtains, just in case Lancelot got too frightened of the storm. He didn’t want the dragon panicking and hurting himself.

Suzaku dropped his gaze from the sky, smiling when he saw Lelouch making his way over to the folly. Shinkiro followed after him, the Celestial Lelouch’s ever present shadow. The dragon had been since the eggs had hatched, although it had mostly been around Lancelot and Suzaku knew the reason why.

As the son of Kururugi Genbu he was considered the perfect companion for one of the few Japanese Celestials left to them. Even more, Shinkiro’s egg had been given into the care of the Kururugi family. Lady Wakana had entrusted them with her egg, as she had for many generations. The Kururugi family had always been protectors of one of the few lines of Celestials and he had ruined it. If he hadn’t killed his father, then he would have been Shinkiro’s companion. If he hadn’t, then Japan would have been crushed by the French and Chinese alliance, Japan wasn’t strong enough to stand up to both China and the might of Europe. Besides, he was too much of a soldier to have been a suitable companion for Shinkiro.

Suzaku settled into a comfortable position, smiling as Lelouch ducked into the folly. His gaze flickered over to where Shinkiro had stopped on the outside of the folly. The Celestial ducked his head down far enough to look in, Suzaku seeing Shinkiro’s lip twitch back in a snarl. Then the dragon was moving away again, but never too far.

He glanced back at Lelouch just in time to see the prince sigh and shake his head. “I thought he would be used to this by now. Surely he’d be more settled.”

Suzaku shrugged, resting a hand on Lancelot’s back. “He’s settled on you, I think this is about me. I’m still his, technically.”

There was an explosive snort from outside the folly, the sound enough to make Lancelot jump. Suzaku hissed as the hatchling dug his talons into his legs.

Suzaku reached down to nudge them free, muttering calmly to Lancelot. It didn’t work, Lancelot gave the front of the folly one look before scrambling out of Suzaku’s lap and behind him. The hatchling pressed up against his back, Suzaku leaning against him for a moment before glancing over at Shinkiro.

The Celestial looked pleased with himself, although the expression didn’t last long before Lelouch rounded on him. The prince glared at the dragon before shaking his head. “Behave yourself.”

Shinkiro drew his head back. “I am.”

“Good, because this is my wing. These are the swords and claws that will protect me.”

Shinkiro lowered his head. “But I’ll protect you.”

Lelouch sighed and stepped forward to stroke Shinkiro’s nose. “And I trust you, but one will never be enough.”

“But-”

“As a prince I am allowed a wing to protect me. They are a part of it.”

“But-” Shinkiro puffed himself up before slinking a little further away. “He’s mine.”

“Of course he is. Just like every knight here. But to have a wing we need to have dragons to protect both you and me.”

Shinkiro cocked his head, studying Lelouch before he backed a little bit further away. This time it looked like he was thinking about what Lelouch had said. Suzaku wasn’t sure that it would stick, but it was progress.

He smiled, looking back at Lelouch. The prince looked proud of himself, something that Suzaku wouldn’t try to poke at. He twisted to look back at where Lancelot was creeping out. Suzaku lifted his hand, resting it on Lancelot’s back as the hatching climbed partially up into his lap.

It didn’t take more than a glance towards where Shinkiro was lying on the ground to settle him, Lancelot hauling himself back into Suzaku’s lap with a sleepy grunt. Suzaku patted Lancelot’s back, feeling the hatchling stretch. He reached out to catch the edge of Lancelot’s wing, nudging it back into place before it could hit his face.

He messed with the wing for a moment before Lancelot finally folded it back down. Suzaku sighed, looking up to meet Lelouch’s gaze.

The prince wasn’t looking at the hatchling like he expected. After his speech to Shinkiro and all the effort Lelouch had put into his wing, Suzaku would have thought that he would have been paying more attention to the dragons and how they were growing. But Lelouch was watching him.

Suzaku tipped his head to the side, about to speak when he heard a grumble of thunder in the distance. He shut his mouth and swallowed, preparing himself for when Lancelot jolted awake. The hatchling had never experienced a storm before, at least outside of an egg. Suzaku wasn’t sure if Lancelot would charge outside to watch or want to hide himself. Suzaku patted Lancelot’s side, shaking his head at the hollow sound. He expected it to be more solid considering the amount of food that Lancelot was eating.

He looked up as Lelouch moved closer. Suzaku eyed the prince, not able to keep himself from smiling as Lelouch came over. “If you want to check on the others you’ll have to hurry.”

“I’ve already done my rounds with them, so there’s no need to hurry.” Lelouch came around to sit on the floor close by. He reached out to touch Lancelot, stopping himself from touching the hatchling. He curled his fingers back into his palm before dropping his hand back into his lap. “It’s been a while since I’ve been able to watch a storm roll in.”

Suzaku raised an eyebrow, but he didn’t dare comment, not when Lelouch was offering time for the two of them. And certainly not when Shinkiro seemed inclined to behave himself.

He leaned back on his hands, smiling at Lelouch. “We have a good view for it.”

Lelouch nodded and scooted closer to him, Suzaku watching as the prince hesitated. Lelouch carefully worked his way around Lancelot, lifting up the hatchling’s tail and one leg so he could lean against Suzaku. Suzaku leaned back against him, enjoying the steady warmth of Lelouch by his side as he watched the clouds come in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Current Dragons in the Wing:  
> [Shinkiro - Male Celestial – Lelouch vi Britannia](http://naominovik.com/wiki/Celestial)  
> [Lancelot - Male Malachite Reaper - Suzaku Kururugi](http://naominovik.com/wiki/Malachite_Reaper)


	2. How Much You are Willing to Give Up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for Day 2 for the prompt: AU/soundtrack: I can’t do it. Also a continuation from two prompts from last year’s Suzalulu Week where Suzaku and Lelouch were captured by Schneizel ([Part I](http://archiveofourown.org/works/8157727/chapters/18695363) \- [Part II](http://archiveofourown.org/works/8157727/chapters/18695471)).

“To get what you want, you have to know exactly how much you are willing to give up.” –  _Prince’s Gambit_ , C.S. Pacat

* * *

 

Lelouch paced in front of the door, ignoring the glances that the Black Knights shot at him as they passed. He didn’t care of what they thought of him. He was sure that they would be muttering and talking about him for a while longer.

He was the former emperor of Britannia, the Demon Emperor, practically welcomed into the Black Knights. He was sure that some of the people lower down in the organization weren’t aware of his connection to Zero. He was sure that they were purposefully kept in the dark because he couldn’t imagine how they would react once they knew. They all seemed content enough to believe that Zero was dead after one glorious last flight for Japan’s freedom. Lelouch was sure that telling them the truth wouldn’t do them any good now, especially after their last alliance with a Britannian prince had gone so badly.

Lelouch watched the group of four make their way down the hall before turning his attention back to the door. He slowed his pacing, trying to listen to voices behind the door. He didn’t have the patience to do it for too long before he cursed and started his pacing again.

Suzaku was in there and had been for hours. He was sure that his own meeting with Ohgi and the others had been just as long, but this was different.

This was too much like those hours he had spent in the cell sure that Suzaku had been dead.

He raked a hand through his hair, pausing to look down at his hand. He almost expected it to be covered in blood. Lelouch flexed his fingers before curling them into a fist. He dug his nails into his palm, breathing in and out. He meant it to be steady, but it came out wrong. It was short and quick and Lelouch felt like he was going to fall over.

He braced himself against the wall, closing his eyes as he tried to brush the thought away. He was back to being head strategist for the Black Knights, if only on probation. It wouldn’t do to have them see him like this. Then they would start to have doubts. Once that happened, he was sure that they would be turned away. The Black Knights didn’t need dead weight hanging around them, not when they were up against Schneizel. 

But, if he and Suzaku were turned away, Lelouch didn’t know what they could do. They were wanted everywhere in the world and had precious few allies. Lelouch was sure that C.C. would allow them to travel with her, but he didn’t know how long that would last. Besides, he had Nunnally to worry about. His sister was behind enemy lines and trapped with Schneizel, which was something he would not allow to stand.

He needed the Black Knights for the advantages they gave him. He needed them to keep Nunnally and Suzaku safe.

He needed them more than they needed him.

Lelouch took a deep breath, opening his eyes. He jumped when he realized that Suzaku was standing there. He had to have missed the sound of the door opening, which was embarrassing. He couldn’t afford to be falling apart like this now.

He swallowed and looked up at Suzaku, relaxing slightly when the knight held out his hand. Lelouch reached out with the hand still balled in a fist. Suzaku took it, stroking his fingers over the back of Lelouch’s hand, the motion slowly getting him to relax his fingers.  He sighed when their palms were resting together, Suzaku giving him a long look before getting a good hold on Lelouch’s hand and pulling him away.

Lelouch didn’t protest. He was already wrung out by the long day and he wanted nothing more than to collapse and sleep, but he was sure that he would be wanted for something else. Lelouch slumped, giving up his attempts to look like an emperor or a prince. He wasn’t any of those anymore. He didn’t know quite what he was anymore.

He jumped when Suzaku wrapped an arm around his shoulder. It didn’t take more than that to convince him to lean into Suzaku. He didn’t care what the others thought, if only for the moment. Tomorrow he could pull himself together and be everything that the Black Knights expected him to be. Tomorrow he would gesture wide and produce miracles. Tonight, he would try to piece himself back together.

“Lelouch?” He hummed at Suzaku’s question. It wasn’t the answer that Suzaku wanted because he was jostled slightly. Lelouch groaned and looked over at Suzaku.

That seemed to please him better. Suzaku looked over at him with a dry smile. “You didn’t need to wait.”

“I did. It’s hard to make calculations when you don’t know anything.”

“You don’t need to be making calculations.”

“Suzaku, I have to. It’s the only way we’re going to stay alive.” He regretted the words the moment they left his mouth. Lelouch sighed and looked away. “We’re not talking about your death wish, not now.”

“I wasn’t going to bring it up.” Suzaku shrugged, pausing for a moment at a crossing in the hallway. He looked down both sides before tipping his head to the left. “We’re down that way.”

“They gave us our own room? Amazing.”

“That’s what you do to assets, you keep them close and happy.” Suzaku gave him a wry smile before nudging him on.

Lelouch sighed and allowed himself to be led, letting the subject drop. He wasn’t going to push it, not when he was still cataloging and watching.

It was obvious enough the Black Knights were back to the way they had been when he had found them. They would be struggling for support, especially with the world in the uproar that it was. Britannia was unstable, and everyone was waiting for the right moment to push. As far as they could tell, it would either be Schneizel on the throne or Nunnally, and Lelouch could figure out which one they would prefer. The thought was almost enough to make him smile, because he could just imagine what they thought of Nunnally.

They only saw a young girl in a wheelchair. They didn’t see the steel in her backbone.

He sighed and let his head drop onto Suzaku’s shoulder. That was something else that he would have to calculate, among a million things. But in there was a chance. If they could get Nunnally to their side. If they could gather up the forces. If they could get close enough to striking distance of the temporary capital.

If. If. If.

“Lelouch?”

“I’m just tired, Suzaku. That’s all.”

Lelouch didn’t dare to lift his head from Suzaku’s shoulder, not when he didn’t want to see Suzaku’s expression. He had no doubts that Suzaku could see through him, they knew each other too well to hide much. He could feel it in the way that Suzaku tensed and then relaxed, in the way that Suzaku got a better hold on him. He welcomed the support, he welcomed having Suzaku close.

He curled his fingers into Suzaku’s shirt, holding him tightly.

That was another calculation to make, about Suzaku. About where to deploy him.

It would be stupid to go out without the best of their forces. When they had to fight, they would need everyone. Kallen and Suzaku together would be unstoppable. But fighting had too many variables, too many chances, and the fear was still too close.

He would have to conquer that fear soon enough, although he had a feeling Suzaku wouldn’t give him the time for it. Suzaku would probably charge right out into battle and he wouldn’t be able to stop him. It was a fear that he’d had a long time, but never like this.

Lelouch swallowed, lifting his head away from Suzaku’s shoulders. He wanted to give some order for Suzaku to stay alive, but it was hard when not months ago they had been discussing Zero Requiem.

He felt a lump form in his throat at the thought. There was no question that the whole plan was off, another thing for him to have to alter, but that left him drifting. He never felt right without a firm plan.

Lelouch closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. The words that he was trying to put together tumbled away when Suzaku stopped. He looked at the door they had stopped in front of. It was nothing like the palace or his suite in the Avalon. It would be a small room, something more like what he was used to at Ashford. It didn’t matter that most of his time there had been made up of lies, he’d been the happiest there.

In a strange way, it was like starting over. There had been a devastating war that had crushed everything that he had hoped and dreamed for and now he was hiding away. This time it wasn’t with Nunnally, but with Suzaku. It had changed a little, but there was enough familiarity in it that he could work with the situation. Their goals had never changed.

But that was all for the next day, once Ohgi and the others had the time to think. It would give him the time to think, but an hour more wouldn’t hurt, not when he didn’t know the parameters of what needed to be done.

He sighed, and leaned into Suzaku. “Let’s go to bed.”

He heard Suzaku chuckle, surprised when Suzaku brushed a kiss across his temple. “Of course, Lelouch.”

Lelouch smiled, holding tight onto Suzaku as they stepped into their room.


	3. Mortal Actions Never Deceive the Gods

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for Day 3 for the prompt: Cards. Title taken from Ovid’s Tristia. Continuation of the Julius and Lelouch competing over Suzaku AU ([Part I](http://eachainn.tumblr.com/post/165585072600/what-would-happen-if-julius-and-lelouch-were-twin) \- [Part II](http://eachainn.tumblr.com/post/150216607884/ooooh-what-about-an-au-where-julius-and-lelouch) \- [Part III](http://eachainn.tumblr.com/post/158596742879/can-you-please-write-a-continuation-of-the-prompt)).

Alarms blared through Babel Tower, making it impossible for Lelouch to hear what else was going on. He threw an annoyed glance at one of the flashing alarms as he and Julius sprinted past it. He wanted to keep glaring at it but there were more important things to focus on, like trying to reach one of the exits.

They had already tried for the elevators, but they were packed as were the hallways leading to them. It was even impossible to get to the main staircase because the patrons of the casino had clogged them up to. The organization was enough to make him despair because he would have thought such an upscale resort would be better organized. After all the viceroy of Area 11 had done nothing but sung its praises. The two of them had been greeted at the door by a personal escort because they were royal. The man had run off at the first sound of the alarm, so they were left on their own.

Lelouch hopped awkwardly over a fallen chair, feeling Julius grab his arm. He reached out to grab onto his brother, stabilizing himself as they dodged through the fallen chairs. There were a lot scattered around, Lelouch having to look down to see where to place his feet. He cursed as he got his foot stuck in the chair, kicking his leg out to untangle it.

The chair came away but clattered as it knocked against the table. Lelouch looked back at it with wide eyes, not getting much of a chance to stare at it before Julius was jerking him forward. He looked back at his twin, frowning at the annoyed look on Julius’ face.

“What part of terrorist attack don’t you understand?”

“They won’t be able to hear us over the damn alarm.”

Julius rolled his eyes, but didn’t let up on pulling him along. Lelouch glared at the back of his twin’s head, but didn’t bother to argue. Julius was right that they had to get out of the building before things got worse. They couldn’t waste time arguing.

Area 11 was known for being unsettled, but things had been allowed to go on with all the problems in the EU. Now that the conflict in the EU was settled, Britannia had turned their attention to one of their wayward Areas. Lelouch wasn’t sure why Clovis had been chosen for the posting, but at least that had given him the chance to convince his half-brother to let him tag along.  Lelouch had hoped he would be able to prove himself useful enough to be kept on. From there he would be able to help keep things fair. He was sure he wouldn’t be able to change too much about the policies immediately, but that was the challenge. Then again, considering how Clovis was floundering, Lelouch was sure it wouldn’t be much of one.

Of course, all of that depended on him surviving the next few hours. Lelouch was sure that the terrorists wouldn’t hesitate to kill both him and Julius. They had been making those kind of threats ever since Clovis had become the viceroy. Lelouch didn’t see why they would stop just because the royalty in question were different.

He shivered and tightened his hold on Julius’ arm. He expected the annoyed look that he got, but that meant nothing when he was trying to come up with a plan.

He had no intention of dying here, not with Nunnally waiting for him. Not with Suzaku waiting for him.

Lelouch looked around the room before getting a better hold on Julius. “This way.”

“What?”

Lelouch ignored the question, dragging his twin over the bar. He shoved Julius in before reaching out to grab some of the chairs had fallen over. They wouldn’t be a permanent barrier, but it was good enough for a momentary break. Lelouch pulled them into place, pulling at them for a moment before dropping into a crouch behind the bar.

He took a few deep breaths, trying to calm his racing heart. He didn’t get much time, Lelouch wincing as Julius reached out to slap his arm. Lelouch rocked back onto his heels, staring at his twin as he rubbed his arm.

Lelouch almost expected the look on Julius’ face, a mix of disgust and anger. The expression was a new thing, and he didn’t know why Julius had started looking at him like that. He just knew that it had happened when Julius had come back from the EU.

He glanced down at his arm, poking at the red spot before looking back up at Julius. His twin had sat back against the inside of the bar, Julius drumming his fingers against his arm. “So you have us trapped here? What that your plan?”

“No.” Lelouch snapped the word out, inching away from Julius. He tried to listen for something other than the alarm but it was impossible to hear over its blaring. He gave up a moment later, shifting his weight so he could peer over the edge of the bar.

Lelouch scanned the room, knowing that it was probably empty. Still, it was better to be safe than to just rush out again. They had already been incautious with the way that they were running around. He let his gaze linger on the door for a moment longer before ducking down again. “We have a few minutes.”

“To be stuck.”

“No!” Lelouch winced as he raised his voice. He glanced back at the bar before settling back against it with a huff. 

He wasn’t used to this new way of interacting with his brother and he hated it. They had used to be practically on the same wavelength but something had happened. Lelouch wasn’t sure if it was the separation because Julius had gone off to the EU or because the two of them had gotten busy with their own projects. Just because Julius was back didn’t mean that he was finished with the problems in the EU and Lelouch knew that he was spending most of his time trying to come up with ways to help the Numbers once he wiggled his way into a good position. It had been that or spending his time with Suzaku.

He bit his lip, keeping quiet for a moment before shaking his head. That was something for them to discuss later, once they were out of Babel Tower.

Lelouch took a deep breath, pushing his annoyance away. “To make a plan. Elevators and stairs are out.”

“Obviously.” Julius rolled his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest. It was enough to make Lelouch want to give up because it was obvious that he wouldn’t be getting anywhere. His brother seemed to be happier to sulk instead of trying to plan a way out. It was almost enough to make Lelouch want to leave him behind. But he couldn’t do that, he could never do that.

He sighed, about to peer over the bar again when Julius cleared his throat. He shot an annoyed look back at his brother, surprised to see that Julius wasn’t sulking anymore. Julius had moved to peer through the chairs that Lelouch had pulled in to block the entrance.

Julius didn’t look back at him, but that didn’t stop him from talking. “Not all the stairs are out. Everyone is just using the main ones. The staff ones will be free. The staff probably bolted immediately, or they knew about the attack from the start. Numbers will always stick together.”

Lelouch bristled at the statement, but Julius seemed to notice, nor did he seem to care. He was too busy staring out at the room. “All we have to do is duck down one of those and run.”

Lelouch scooted closer, smirking when he saw the door marked staff only across the way. He nodded, starting to help Julius shift the chairs. “If we go out that way, we’ll be running right into the construction zone.”

“More places to hide.”

“More chances to call for help.”

“You say that like Clovis hasn’t already sent the police and the Pure Bloods after us.”

Lelouch shot a look at Julius, not sure if he wanted to argue that point. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Clovis or his knights, but his brother had strange priorities. Besides, no matter how good the soldiers or the Knightmares were, they would have to make it through the crush of the other casino patrons. There was a better chance of them finding someone to help if they slipped out the side. Clovis’ military ineptitude aside, someone would think to put up a cordon around the building, and Lelouch was sure that they would be happy enough to help.

They shoved the last chair aside, Lelouch bolting out from behind the bar. He raced to the door, throwing himself against it and holding it open as Julius ran after him. Lelouch glanced at his brother as he ran past, taking a moment to look back into the room. 

He squeaked when he saw movement at the front of the room, jerking away from the door. It was going to slam, but Lelouch hoped that the two of them were far away enough by the time whoever had been moving through the halls came through the door. And, they would have to work hard to catch them because it looked like they had stepped right into the construction zone.

Lelouch glanced around as they ran, frowning as he looked at all the construction going on. It would have been one thing if it had been a nobleman funding the expansion of his private casino, but it was another thing to have Clovis footing most of the bill. Lelouch was sure that Clovis’ personal funds didn’t cover all of the construction, not with all of the side projects that were going on so there was only one place that the money could be coming from. The corner of his mouth twitched, Lelouch holding onto the thought for a moment before filing it away.

He would wait to see how this catastrophe played out, because then maybe he could push Clovis into backing down. For now, it was more important to focus on escaping and then contacting their family. The news about the attack was bound to have reached Britannia by now, and Nunnally and Rolo would be out of their minds with worry. Lelouch wouldn’t put it past Suzaku to have already started to get clearance to fly to Japan. Or maybe he hadn’t asked permission at all.

Lelouch shivered, allowing himself a brief moment to linger over the rush of happiness that rose in his chest. He pushed the feeling down quickly. It was a distraction that he couldn’t afford at the moment.

He glanced around, trying to pick out a way to get down to ground level safely and quickly. Julius was already rushing on ahead, Lelouch looking ahead to where he saw a scaffolding set up. He grinned, glancing over at the girders that spanned the space, slowing down as Julius came to a stop.

He caught himself on a beam, panting for breath as he tried to search for the fastest way across. He was aware of the time that they were wasting by just standing there, but it was better to really think their plan through instead of rushing. Besides, he needed to catch his breath before rushing off again.

Lelouch glanced over at Julius, watching as his brother struggled to catch his breath as well. Julius recovered faster than he did, Julius straightening up and looking around. Julius was quick to gesture to the beam they were by. “Here. We’ll put more distance and we’ll get closer.”

He nodded, regretting agreeing a moment later. If they crossed the beam, then they would be picking their away across the beams until they got to the scaffolding. They would be able to move faster on the floor that was already built, but so would anyone following. Lelouch looked back over his shoulder, making his decision. No one was following them now, but Lelouch was sure that their luck wouldn’t hold out.

He pushed away from the beam, looking down at the girder. He immediately wished that he hadn’t because it left him staring at the long drop to the ground floor. Lelouch jerked his gaze up, taking a few deep breaths before stepping across the girder.

It was just wide enough for him to place one foot in front of the other, Lelouch spreading his arms out slightly for balance. He muttered a curse under his breath, moving carefully across the girder.

Lelouch fixed his gaze on the other side, hoping that it would keep him from looking down. It helped a little bit, but it turned his focus to how slow he was moving. Lelouch gritted his teeth, speeding up a fraction.

They didn’t have time to dawdle, not when he was sure that the terrorists were starting to push through the upper levels. He wanted to be deep in the construction site by the time they got up to where they were.  What he wanted more was to be racing for the cordon that was bound to be established by the time the terrorists were working through the top floors. They’d have more time then.

Lelouch took a deep breath, turning slightly to look back to see how his brother was doing. He only got a glimpse of Julius’ look of concentration before his foot slipped off of the girder.

He yelped and failed his arms for balance. Lelouch reached backwards, feeling Julius grab at his arm before his slipped completely off the girder.

Lelouch screamed as he fell, cutting himself off with a yelp when he was jerked to a stop. He looked up, giving Julius a weak smile. His brother didn’t return it, Julius obviously struggling to keep a hold of him. Lelouch swallowed and reached up with his other hand to grab onto Julius’ arm. It kept him a little bit more stable and made him feel a bit better. Lelouch hoped that it would buy him time to figure out the best way to get himself back on the girder.

It looked just out of his reach, which meant that Julius would have to haul him up just enough for him to get a hold on the girder. If they could manage that, then Lelouch was sure that it would be easier on the both of them. Julius could help him up while backing down the girder instead of trying to balance.

He swallowed, his head jerking to the right when he heard the sound of the door banging. Lelouch couldn’t see the door from where he was hanging, but he was sure that it wasn’t good. He looked up at Julius, hoping that his brother had a better view.

From the shocked look on Julius’ face, they had run out of time.

Lelouch kicked his legs, trying to pull himself up. “Julius…Julius just let me get a hold of it and I can-What are you doing!”

Julius let go of him with one hand, Lelouch tightening his hold on Julius’ other arm. “Julius!”

His brother looked down at him, his face frighteningly blank. “You cheated.”

“What?!”

“The game we were playing. You cheated.”

“I don’t under-AH!”

Lelouch screamed as Julius grabbed one of his fingers and pulled it back. Lelouch scrambled to keep his hold on Julius’ arm, screaming again when he felt something in his finger pop. He dropped his hand away, curling it protectively against his chest as he looked up at his brother.

Julius shifted on the girder, bracing himself there as he glared down at him. Lelouch shook his head, closing his hand more securely around Julius’ wrist. “I don’t understand what you mean!”

“It was supposed to stop when I left because it was only for fun. That was the whole point of playing! You cheated!”

“What the hell are you talking about?!”

“YOU WEREN’T SUPPOSED TO FUCK HIM!”

Lelouch stared up at Julius, horror blooming in his chest. Julius didn’t seem to notice, he was too busy glaring down at him. “It was something to waste our time because he wasn’t worth anything else. He’s just a damned Eleven, he’s not worth anything. You’ve ruined everything because you just wouldn’t play the game right.”

Lelouch shook his head, fumbling with words. Usually they were his weapon, but they had deserted him in the face of the rage on his brother’s face. He swallowed, shaking his head.

That just seemed to anger Julius more.

Julius reached down to grab the hand that Lelouch had curled around his wrist. Lelouch tried to dig his nails in, desperate to keep up his hold. He shook his head as Julius got a grip on two of his fingers. “No. Don’t.”

“This is the only way I’m going to win now.”

“Julius!”

His brother didn’t seem to be listening, he was too busy pulling Lelouch’s fingers back. Lelouch gritted his teeth, fighting against the pull and to keep his tight hold. He didn’t look away from his brother’s face, horrified by the smile that was spreading across it.

“Julius, please.”

“Goodbye, Lelouch.”

He shook his head, reaching up with his other hand to bat Julius’ hand away when something popped in his fingers. Lelouch shout, his hold on Julius slipping and then giving out entirely.

Lelouch reached up for his brother, snatching at the air as Julius stood up with a wide grin on his face. Lelouch could only stare up at him in shock as he fell.


	4. Laid Out One By One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the Day 4 prompt: “You’ll have to be more specific. A lot of things are my fault.” Title tale from Flaws by Bastille.

Suzaku looked back over his shoulder as Lelouch made an aborted grab for him. He raised an eyebrow, watching as Lelouch pressed his face deeper into the pillow. Lelouch grumbled, the sound muffled by the pillow. Suzaku tipped his head, waiting for something else from Lelouch, although he didn’t expect it.

Lelouch had been up late the night before and every night before that for the past two weeks.

Suzaku always woke up when Lelouch climbed into bed and, while he hadn’t often looked at the clock, he had sporadically gotten a glimpse at the time. Three in the morning was common, as was four. There was one time that he had been sliding out of bed just as Lelouch had staggered in at seven in the morning. Suzaku would have laughed at the look on Lelouch’s face if it hadn’t been so pitiful.

He turned to partially face Lelouch, watching as the emperor kept patting at the bed for him. Finally Lelouch looked up, if only for long enough to make one more grab. His fingers skimmed over Suzaku’s arm before landing on his side. Suzaku sat still and let Lelouch’s fingers curl against his skin. They jumped and skipped before they managed to settle in place, Suzaku expecting Lelouch to make some excuse and use the hold to pull him back into bed. It wouldn’t work considering that Lelouch wasn’t really holding onto him. It would be easy to pull away and get on with his morning routine.

He went to move away, stopping when Lelouch dug his fingers in. Suzaku hissed at the pressure, reaching down to grab at Lelouch’s wrist. He closed his fingers around it, sighing when he felt how thin it was. 

Lelouch had lost more weight. That was something to pass on to C.C. Between the two of them they could make sure that he ate at least twice a day. There was no point in planning everything to the last detail if Lelouch wasn’t going to make it to Zero Requiem in the first place.

Suzaku stroked his fingers over Lelouch’s wrist, about to pull it away and deliver an ultimatum about eating when Lelouch’s fingers curled again. Suzaku looked down at where they were moving, watching as they skimmed over his skin and over the scar that ran along his side. Lelouch seemed to be focusing on it exclusively, Suzaku sighing and looking back at Lelouch.

Lelouch had shifted to look at him, Suzaku getting a glimpse of violet among the white of the pillowcases. Lelouch remained still, his fingers moving over the scar. It wasn’t until Suzaku shifted to get up that Lelouch lifted his head from the pillow. “Shinjuku?”

Suzaku nodded, letting go of Lelouch’s wrist. He expected that to be the end of it, but Lelouch pushed himself up onto his elbows. Suzaku was surprised by the motion. He thought that Lelouch would go back to sleep like he always did. The two of them would catch up when Suzaku was done with his morning practice and his short patrol around the palace. Instead, Lelouch wiggled closer, his hand skimming up Suzaku’s side.

Lelouch’s hand moved onto his back, Suzaku feeling Lelouch seek out points there. Suzaku turned his head, trying to follow the touching by something more than feeling, but he couldn’t see far enough over his shoulder. He gave up and twisted back around, staring at the bedside table as Lelouch continued to explore certain points on his back.

It wasn’t until Lelouch pressed a spot just under his left shoulder blade that Suzaku realized Lelouch was seeking out all of his scars.

Suzaku tipped his head to the side, watching Lelouch out of the corner of his eye. 

It wasn’t like any of them were new to Lelouch, he saw them practically every night. Suzaku sighed, halfway expecting Lelouch to ask him to turn around. There were far more scars on his front than on his back.

Lelouch pressed against the scar under his shoulder blade one more time before lifting his hand away. “You have more than I expected.”

“Why?  You’ve seen all of them.”

Lelouch hummed, his fingers brushing over the small of his back before he scooted closer to Suzaku. Suzaku smiled as Lelouch rested his chin on his shoulder. He tipped his head to the side, resting it against Lelouch’s. He felt Lelouch’s hand slide onto his thigh, resting there lightly.

It took Lelouch a moment longer to respond, his voice still rough with sleep. “There’s a difference between seeing and looking.”

“You’ve looked at them plenty too.”

Lelouch dug his chin into Suzaku’s shoulder for a brief moment. “I haven’t exactly been paying attention during those times. I’m either asleep or…distracted.”

Suzaku chuckled, reaching down to rest his hand over Lelouch’s. He squeezed Lelouch’s hand before gently leaning back into him. He didn’t dare rest all his weight on Lelouch, not when he was still half asleep. Suzaku sighed and nodded slowly. “Either way, I have a lot of scars.”

“From the army.”

“Yes.” Suzaku paused for a moment before shaking his head. “Most of them were from when I started piloting the Lancelot. The inside of it had a lot of sharp corners and being jolted around wasn’t good for stitches.”

“And you were chasing after me.” Suzaku thought he heard the edge of a laugh in Lelouch’s voice. “That’s a lot of jostling. But how many…”

“Most of them.”

Lelouch sighed. “So all of them.”

“No, a handful are from when I was a kid.”

“But most of them.”

Suzaku leaned forward, feeling Lelouch follow the motion. “Most of them.”

There was no point in lying to Lelouch, especially when there was no other answer for it. The two of them were past the point of lying to each other.

He felt Lelouch such in a deep breath, expecting another question or more pushing on the subject. Suzaku didn’t know what else he would be able to tell, save for a list of battles and skirmishes. But there would be no point to that either, because Lelouch had been there for most of them. There were only two scars that Suzaku could think of that he’d gotten in the EU, but the original injuries had come from the first Black Rebellion.

Suzaku turned his head slightly, waiting for Lelouch to say anything. To his amusement, Lelouch seemed to have fallen back asleep. Suzaku shook his head, about to move out of Lelouch’s grasp when Lelouch muttered something and wrapped an arm around his stomach.

He sighed and looked down at Lelouch’s arm. It would be easy to pull away, and even easier to coax Lelouch back into bed. He could let Lelouch sleep for another long night of planning while he went through his morning routine. It was something that they could stick to until the day of Zero Requiem came.

Suzaku glanced towards the window where light was leaking in through the curtains. He studied the pattern before tipping himself to the side.

He fell back onto the bed, hearing Lelouch grunt in protest. His annoyance didn’t last too long, Suzaku holding still as Lelouch snuggled up against his back. Suzaku gave Lelouch enough time to settle again before reaching down to rest his hand over Lelouch’s. He thought he heard Lelouch mutter his name, but it was lost in a sleepy mumble. It was enough to make him smile, Suzaku slotting his fingers into Lelouch’s. There would be plenty of time for his morning routine.

He didn’t want scars to be the only thing he had to remember Lelouch by.


	5. The Fire That Does Not Die

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the Day 5 prompt: AU: magical creatures. Part of the [mystical creature AU](http://eachainn.tumblr.com/post/150867295640/mythical-animal-au-cc-shed-her-glamour-as-she) that I did.

Suzaku landed slightly on the window, folding his wings against his sides. He tipped his head to the side, studying the Ashford campus before turning his attention to the sleeping person in the room. He felt his crest rise at the sight of them, Suzaku shifting his hold on the windowsill. 

Considering all that Lelouch was, it was foolish of him to leave the window open, even on a summer day. Then again, Lelouch knew nothing of what he was, past or present.

He peered into the shadows of the room, searching out threats. He could see nothing, no traps, no tricks, just the bedroom of a student. All was as it should be, save for the shine of the light on the few cameras that were positioned around the room.

Suzaku had to lean in to see one of them, cocking his head to the side. He was sure that he was picking picked up on a few of them, but they would always see what technology did when confronted with creatures like him. It would see him clearly, but the humans that would watch would not, not unless they were like him. And, if they were, they would understand. If he had come like this, then it was a matter to be settled between their kind. If they didn’t understand, then they would have to come and catch him first.

Suzaku jumped down onto the floor, flicking his tail up so it wouldn’t be caught on the windowsill. He walked forward a few careful steps before pausing again, tipping his head to the side.

There was supposed to be an operative with Lelouch, Suzaku remembered that much from his briefings. They hadn’t been too in depth, because Lelouch hadn’t been his problem by then. He’d been redirected to the fronts in the EU. It was where he was supposed to be now, but a few days of leave was more than enough to take care of personal business.

As a Knight of the Round he was above the law so long as he was in favor. As himself, as he truly was, there was no law. There were just the things that he was taught, the things that he knew in his blood and bones. This was something that belonged to only him.

Suzaku looked at the sleeping figure on the bed, tempted to rush over, but he had to be cautious. The operative might be awake and watching, and Suzaku could only imagine what would happen when the man came in to see something that looked like a gigantic peacock. Suzaku was sure that his first reaction wouldn’t be awe, he was more likely to get shot.

Suzaku shivered, ruffling his feathers. He’s had to deal with that once and he was not keen on it happening again. He might not have the allergy that the western creatures had to metals and iron, but it still wasn’t pleasant. There were times he was sure that he could feel the bullet grinding against his bones. He readjusted his wing, settling it back against his side to chase away the feeling.

If he was quick, he wouldn’t have to deal with the operative. And there wouldn’t be any interference from the girl that followed Lelouch around before. He couldn’t smell or sense the unicorn anywhere. Perhaps that was for the best, she had gotten away from this mess before things had gotten too bad. She had never seemed to be too interested in human affairs and perhaps what had kept her bound her was gone. It was good for her, and it was good for him.

He spread his wings slightly for the hop onto Lelouch’s bed, Suzaku landing lightly on the side. He froze there, watching Lelouch carefully. He breathed out when Lelouch remained asleep.

Lelouch had always been a light sleeper, any shift would wake him up.

Suzaku shook his head at the memory of hands sliding around him, moving over skin and feathers. It had felt like heaven, like what his mother had said being in love felt like. What  _everyone_  had said being in love said like. But they had been wrong. They’d never known Lelouch.

He felt his crest rise again, Suzaku quick to smooth it down again. This was personal, but he couldn’t let himself go too far. This wasn’t a slaughter or an assassination. This was revenge, clean and cold and everything that he had to become.

He wasn’t a western phoenix, he didn’t burn bright and fast before crumbling to ash and rising again. He burned slow, like an ember, warm and bright. Suzaku wasn’t sure that fire could burn cold, but he felt like he was made up of that alone.

Lelouch had always said he was warm. He had loved it.

Suzaku shuddered, closing his eyes. He wasn’t here for the memories because they were useless to him. They had been built and tangled in lies and he didn’t want any part of it anymore. That’s why he was here.

It was in the many understandings of his kind that personal things must be settled between two of them. This was between him and Lelouch, so it had to be settled by him. He should have remembered that instead of relying on what people could do. Since he had relied on people, the emperor had kept Lelouch alive and had done nothing to help with the pain from Euphy’s death. The emperor had just sent Lelouch out to continue his own work. He’d been naïve then, believed that this was a problem for people and therefore must be solved by people. Maybe he’d been trying to blend in too long.

Suzaku lifted a foot from the bed, flexing his talons carefully. It had been a long time since he’d had to use his own talons, everything he’d done so far had been with human weapons. He supposed that he should feel good about it, about returning to how he should be, about taking the revenge he rightfully deserved, but there was just nothing.

Maybe, if he did this right, he would feel something again.

He walked up to the head of the bed, tipping his head as he watched Lelouch. The human muttered something in his sleep and turned towards him, Suzaku freezing as he waited to see if Lelouch would wake up. Lelouch just turned to the side, Suzaku watching as his hand drifted across the bed.

Suzaku took a step back to avoid it, staring at where Lelouch’s fingers were spread on the bed. He looked away quickly, because he knew what part of him wanted to do and he couldn’t, because he still hurt.

He focused on Lelouch’s neck instead. He could strike there, cut Lelouch’s throat open and he would bleed out quickly. It would be what was allowed to him by his kind’s loose agreements. It was clean, quick and it would end all his suffering.

Suzaku shifted, spreading his tail slightly to keep his balance. It would be quick and painless and not at all what he felt Lelouch deserved.

He took a deep breath, rocking back to be ready to strike. And then he went still.

He could smell dragon. It was faint but there. It always hung around Lelouch and the rest of the royal family. It said distant ancestry to creatures like him, it said kin and understanding. It said Lelouch and friend. It said lover.

Suzaku closed her eyes, ducking his head. Lelouch wasn’t any of those things anymore, he knew that. He knew that it was just the scent of a dragon that was making him hesitate. 

His mother had always said that there were some phoenixes that could stand the scent of dragons and some that couldn’t. There had been moment where he had praised that he wasn’t one of those phoenixes, but he had hated it now. He wished that he was the opposite now, it would make it easier. He wouldn’t be hesitating then.

Suzaku swallowed, preparing himself to strike when Lelouch hummed in his sleep. He froze as Lelouch opened his eyes, ready for a scream or panic. Instead, Lelouch just smiled and closed his eyes. Suzaku was sure that he heard some Japanese phrases slip out, Suzaku flinching. He remembered teaching Lelouch them, as children and then later in life. Those were  _their_ things, things that even Charles hadn’t been able to force away. And that made it worse, because there was a part of Lelouch that was still his. He wanted to rip it away and take it back because it wasn’t Lelouch’s anymore. It was his and his alone. He needed to take back what was his through blood and bone.

Except that it is what Lelouch would have done. He might have been angry and burnt low, but he wasn’t Lelouch. He would  _never_ be Lelouch.

Suzaku stared at Lelouch for a moment more before pushing himself away from the bed with a cry. He saw Lelouch jump, but he didn’t care, he had to leave, had to get away from the smell of dragon and everything that he had once held so dear.

He took flight, soaring through the window and out into the open sky.  He didn’t bother to look back, not when he was afraid that he would see Lelouch staring after him and not when some part of him still wanted to return.


	6. As Long and Sharp as Yours

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the Day 6 prompt: AU/soundtrack : What’s Justice. Part of the AU of [touchreceptors'](http://archiveofourown.org/users/touchreceptors/pseuds/touchreceptors) [Game of Thrones AU](http://archiveofourown.org/works/4883062/chapters/11195716) and previously written about here ([Part 1](http://eachainn.tumblr.com/post/154251027887/a-different-kind-of-diplomacy-suzalulu-week-day) \- [ Part II](http://eachainn.tumblr.com/post/158821706539/ive-been-meaning-to-do-this-for-a-while-but-life) -[Part III](http://eachainn.tumblr.com/post/163263721944/im-so-sorry-touchreceptors-but-this-au-of-your)). Title take from The Rains of Castamere from Game of Thrones.

_In a coat of gold or a coat of red,_  
_a lion still has claws,_  
 _And mine are long and sharp, my lord,_  
 _as long and sharp as yours._

Lelouch took a deep breath as the door shut, blocking out the sound of Sumeragi Momoka as she mourned her brother. Lelouch squeezed his eyes shut as another wail rose, curling his fingers into his kimono. He was almost glad of the sound even as it grated on his nerves. He could feel a similar sound working its way up his own throat, but he couldn’t give in.

The shogun was dead. His heir was in a critical condition. The whole palace was in an uproar.

He took another deep breath, holding it in for a moment before letting it go. As he breathed, he let the anger and the worry curl together in the only way he knew how. It was how he had survived in Westros, it is how he would survive this.

Lelouch opened his eyes, turning around to look at who had come out of the room where Genbu’s body was laid out. He bowed his head to Tomoe, watching as she wiped her face on her sleeve. He didn’t comment on it, the time for court pleasantries was not now. The kingdom expected to see her mourning, especially after what had happened.

He swallowed and took a step towards her, relieved when she was the one to reach out to him. Lelouch was quick to grab her hand tightly, squeezing it. Tomoe held onto him just as tightly, looking at him. “How is he?”

“Alive.” It was a relief to say the word, Lelouch relaxing as he spoke. He nodded to Tomoe. “He’s alive. They say that, if he survives the night, then he will live.”

“Suzaku is strong.”

“Yes, he is.” Lelouch glanced down the hall towards the room where Suzaku had been taken to. He wanted to go back in there, to sit by Suzaku’s side and hold his hand. He’d been chased out to allow the doctors and surgeons to do their work, but that left him without anything to do. He was not about to stand outside Genbu’s room, listening to Momoka cry, and his other option was to retreat to where Rina was being kept away from it all. Then again, his daughter was too smart by halves. She had probably figured out that something was wrong and he didn’t want to answer her questions, not when there was so much he didn’t know.

He let go of Tomoe’s hand, shuddering as Momoka went silent. He was sure that she was going to start up again, but the silence made it all worse. Lelouch gave Suzaku’s room one last look before starting down the hall. He was relieved when Tomoe followed him. Lelouch didn’t know what he was going to do, but at least he wouldn’t look so lost with Tomoe with him.

They walked down the hallway in silence, Lelouch prepared for it to last until they made a circle of the private apartments. Instead Tomoe took a turn that led out to the yard where the soldiers practiced. The change was enough to get him to slow down for a moment, but Tomoe pressed on like she hadn’t noticed. Lelouch frowned and rushed to catch up, having to nearly run as he kept up with her. “Tomoe?”

“We have one of them, one of the ones from Shinkine.” Lelouch was surprised by the demand, but he didn’t have time to say anything. He caught up to her in time for Tomoe to glance his way. “I heard that we caught one of them. I don’t know how or why but I heard it during the rush.”

Lelouch could only stare, because he hadn’t heard that and it made his heart beat faster. “Where?”

“Tohdoh has him.”

Lelouch nodded, picking up his pace to match hers. He fixed his gaze beyond the open doors at the end of the hall. He didn’t look over at Tomoe, his gaze already fixed on where the elite guard were waiting. He saw all of them snap to attention, looking between the two of them. He wasn’t sure what they could get from his face, but he was sure that they saw all they needed from Tomoe’s face.

He sought out Tohdoh, watching as the commander slumped slightly. Lelouch didn’t linger over Tohdoh for long, his attention going to the man that was kneeling on the ground. He had probably been kneeling there since they had brought back Genbu and Suzaku. Lelouch looked him, the corner of his mouth twitching.

He stepped down from the palace, making his way over to the man even as Tomoe walked over to Tohdoh. Lelouch paused a little way away from the man, looking him over. He was almost glad of the sharp spark of anger that came from seeing him, it was easier than grief. It was more familiar than grief. 

It was what he had gathered close to his chest and held when his mother had died, and when Nunnally had been injured. It had been something that he had held onto through those long summer days and short nights until he’d managed to bring Sir Vincent into a trail by combat with Sir Jeremiah. It had been worth all those long days and nights, and Lelouch believed that Sir Jeremiah enjoyed it as well.

Sir Vincent’s head had looked good rotting over the gates of Tintagel for the few weeks it took the news to get back to Pendragon. Even with the fancy political work he’d had to do afterwards, it had been worth it. Sir Vincent may have been the emperor’s brother, but he had killed a royal consort and injured a princess of the empire. It had been worth the look on his father’s face when he had talked Charles into a corner. It had almost been worth the years of exile from the court.

Lelouch didn’t know what kind of satisfaction he could pull out of this, but he was willing to try to get the utmost.

He paced in front of the man, looking him over. It was good that the man didn’t look up, because Lelouch wouldn’t be able to hold himself back. They needed the man for whatever Tomoe was planning and for whatever ideas were starting to form in his head. He had the patience to wait to hear what Tomoe’s plans were, but he didn’t have the patience for those long summer days again. Someone had stolen from him again, and he was going to make them pay for it.

Lelouch circled around the man, ignoring the way that Chiba cleared her throat. The man looked defeated enough, which was all he wanted for the moment. He narrowed his eyes at the coiled gold dragon he saw embroidered on the man’s kimono, his fingers twitching. He resisted the urge to rip it off the man, glad for a distraction when Tohdoh spoke up.

“I am sorry to hear of your loss, my lady. I hope-”

“Suzaku is still alive.” Tomoe’s voice was harsher than Lelouch had ever heard it. He looked up at her, taking in her neutral expression before looking over at Tohdoh.

Tohdoh seemed to take the harsh tone in stride, because he nodded slowly. “Thank the gods.”

“I do.” Tomoe took a deep breath. “But I believe I need to ask for a different blessing for the moment, depending on what that man can tell us.”

She turned, Lelouch moved with her to look down at the man kneeling on the ground. He saw the man flinch before he raised his head. Lelouch expected fear or anger, not an expressionless face.

The man hesitated for a moment before nodding. “I am Hyuga Akito and I offer whatever help I can give.”

Lelouch huffed, just barely stopping himself from laughing. “And why is that?”

His question finally got Akito’s expression to change, but it was only for a split second. Then it was back to the carefully practiced neutrality and his attention was back on Tomoe. “Because my brother is a traitor. Because he betrayed his sovereign lord. Because he killed the shogun.” Akito went silent for a moment, his mouth working before he settled again. “Because he killed my father and mother, and everyone else.”

Lelouch sighed and looked over at Tomoe. He’d had precious little time to learn about everything that had happened in Ashigaru since his arrival. It had been a crash course in the current politics and then balancing that with taking care of a child. He knew the history vaguely, but not the details. But, judging from the expression on Tomoe’s face, what Akito was saying was true.

Tomoe studied the man, Lelouch watching as a slow smile crossed her face. “I can understand those reasons, but they’re not enough.”

Akito nodded. “I don’t expect them to be.”

Tomoe hummed. “But they’re not enough to kill you for, not if you’re willing to help us. You see, your brother killed my husband and he might have killed my son. That cannot be overlooked.” She was silent for a moment before she shook her head. “And, if you are in earnest, then this will not be overlooked by the rest of your clan.”

Akito shrugged. “They are dead. They can’t hurt me.”

“Still, there are your brother’s supporters to think about…”

Lelouch looked between the two of them, some of the vague ideas coalescing in his mind. He let his gaze rest on Tomoe for a moment, before he cleared his throat. That was enough to get Akito’s gaze to jerk to him. “You can fight?”

The question seemed to confuse him for a moment, but Akito was quick to nod. Lelouch smiled, clasping his hands behind his back as he started to pace a circle around Akito. “Good because a friend of my family has recently been in need of a good knight by their side. I’m not offering you a place as a mercenary, but as a staple of the household. It is in Avrupa…will that be far enough away?”

The corner of Akito’s mouth twisted up in a smile. “I will take it.”

“Good.” Lelouch came around to crouch in front of Akito. There was emotion there, something more than the careful expression of before. That was a man who had been ready to die. This was the expression of one ready to live. Lelouch matched his grin, meeting Akito’s gaze. “Now tell me, how are your brother’s defenses?”

* * *

Lelouch watched as the doors were pulled open, barely paying attention to the man who announced him, he was too busy looking around the room.

It wasn’t the simple grandeur that he was used to from Genbu’s palace, nor was it the opulence in stone and glass that he was used to from Pendragon. This was the opulence that everyone accused the court at Pendragon of, all gold, bright paint and jewels. Lelouch bit his lip, meting the gazes of a thousand painted dragons, all of them gold. He turned his head to look at the nearest one, meeting its sapphire gaze before he jerked his gaze away. He wasn’t there to stare at dragons, he was there for the man standing towards the back of the room.

The man was still introducing him, a long list of titles that Lelouch had stopped paying attention to. He was sure that the man at the back of the room had stopped paying attention too. Shin Hyuga Shaing didn’t look like the kind of man that would have the patience for that, not after a great victory.

An imagined victory.

Lelouch stepped forward, ignoring the way that the man sputtered. He walked towards where Shin waited, trying to keep his pace steady. He couldn’t rush, couldn’t put a foot out of place. Everything had to be perfect.

He gaze flicked to the side, Lelouch watching as two men kneeling by a fire stopped what they were doing. He stopped as well, watching as a handful of gold coins fell into the pot. Lelouch tipped his head to the side, watching the two men for a moment more before looking back towards Shin.

The man had moved closer with a smirk so wide across his face that Lelouch wanted to punch it off. Instead, Lelouch smiled, tipping his head in acknowledgement. “Lord Hyuga. Or is it Lord Shaing.”

Shin hesitated at that, Lelouch turning his head to look at the gold in the pot again. “If I recall, that’s highly illegal.”

That finally got a reaction. Shin laughed, shaking his head. “Legalities will be a bit fuzzy for a while, and for that I apologize. But this,” he swept his hand out towards the pot, “this is how the Ashigaru bring change. One shogun has fallen and another one has taken it’s place. It’s clearing out the house, something you Westrosi do more literally, don’t you? How many men were killed the last time one of your Great Houses decided to clean things up?”

“You’ll have to be more specific.”

Shin laughed again, Lelouch trying to hide the way that he bristled. If anything showed, Shin must have misread it because he waved Lelouch off dismissively. “Take your pick, you know them better than I do. They’re all the same to me. My world is here, these islands and Edo.”

“Really?” Lelouch glanced out towards the other side of the room, watching the city through the open doors. It was a move that his father would have done. A move that only someone confident that there would be no retaliation would do.

It was the move of a fool.

He turned to look back at Shin, looking the man up and down. “I was not aware that Lord Kururugi included you in the line of succession.”

“No!” Lelouch’s eyes widened as Shin snapped out the word, watching the man bristle before he settled himself down, but the façade had been broken. The cautious lord was gone, and there was something like madness there.

Then, as quickly as it was there, it was gone. Shin was back with a banal smile. “That may be the way things are done in Westros or the way that the Kururugis have done it to preserve their position and dignity, but not the way things were done. We have always taken it in turn to rule.”

“You make it sound so peaceable.”

“Sometimes it was.” Shin sighed, stepping back. He gestured to him, Lelouch not hesitating to follow him. Shin led him over to the doors, his focus on the city as he talked. “Sometimes it wasn’t. We are all human, after all. But the cycle had gone stagnant, so it was time to get it moving again.”

Lelouch took a deep breath, swallowing back a growl. “That movement killed my father-in-law and your lord. It killed my husband.”

Shin made an impatient motion with his hand, Lelouch shocked by how easily he brushed it off. “It wasn’t meant to be an insult.”

“It’s hard to not feel like it is.”

“Well, my apologies for that. It is simply…renewal.” Shin shrugged and motioned with one arm, showing off the city with the sweep. He stepped forward to rest his hands on the balcony, smiling down at the city. “And it will be glorious. Something I think you understand.”

Shin paused to look at him out of the corner of his eye, Lelouch not liking the grin that spread across his face. “It’s why you came here after all, isn’t it? You came because you saw which way the wind was blowing and are trying to ingratiate yourself with me. But it won’t work, because I know how  _you_  work.”

Lelouch leaned on the rail, curling his fingers into the wood to keep himself from visibly reacting. “You know me?”

“Very well. I had to when you came as ambassador.” Shin smirked, leaning forward to meet his gaze. Lelouch shuddered but allowed it, not sure if Shin smiled because he thought Lelouch was listening or because he had provoked a reaction. “I thought that you were going to be more of a threat to my plans. I thought that you were going to raise all of Ashigaru and turn it on your father.”

Lelouch tipped his head, a smile crossing his face. “Now why would I do that?”

“Do you need a single reason? I found many while I was looking.  There’s the matter of your mother, your sister, your own property at Tintagel,” Shin stumbled over the word, “cruelly stripped away from you. I could go on, but it would be rude to bore a guest. Suffice to say that I have you all figured out.”

Shin cleared his throat and pushed away from the railing. Lelouch turned to look at him, watching as Shin walked back into his throne room. “You want what every Britannian prince wants, the throne. Your father is getting old and his heir is weak by any country’s definition of it. So the rest of you are snapping at his heels, waiting to see which one knocks him down. And then, you will turn on them and consume each other until there’s only one left. Or none left.” Shin shrugged. “But that doesn’t matter, because you can’t compete. You have nothing because your mother had nothing and because you couldn’t whore your way into the loyalty of enough knights.”

“Watch your tongue!” Lelouch pushed away from the railing, storming over to where Shin was standing. His smile was different now, crueler and that made Lelouch want to lash out.

He stopped when he was right in front of Shin, hating that he had to tip his head back slightly to look at the man. From the way that Shin was grinning, it was all planned.

Lelouch puffed himself up. “You are talking to the heir’s consort.”

“No.” Shin reached out to brush his fingers across Lelouch’s cheek, Lelouch flinching away. Shin’s face contorted, his fingers curling into claws.

Lelouch reached out to grab onto Shin’s wrist, growling low. “You  _will not_ touch me.”

Shin jerked his hand away, taking a step back. “And you will not talk to me like that. You have no position now that Suzaku is dead, not unless you managed to whore your way into another house.” His gaze dropped to Lelouch’s stomach. “Is another one brewing in there? Your next big political move? With Suzaku gone, you will need another army.”

Lelouch seethed and stepped away, going back to the doors. He took a few deep breaths, scanning over the city. His gaze lingered on the walls, watching as a group of men ran along them. Lelouch flexed his fingers, watching as the men leaned over, securing something to the outside of the wall before moving along. A few more of them dropped into the compound, Lelouch watching as they ran towards where the soldiers and deer were kept. He watched them run, picking out the outspread wings of the phoenix before he turned away.

He looked back at Shin, watching as the man went to check on the pot of gold. He nodded at the two men before turning back to look at Lelouch, the cruel smile still on his face.

Shin spread his arms in a shrug.  “If you came looking for your army, you wasted your time. I don’t intend to help you, Westrosi business is its own. Besides. how will I know that you are mine?”

“You test my patience, Lord Hyuga.” Lelouch stepped away from the railing. “If you cannot speak to me with the respect I deserve then-”

“Then what?” Shin laughed and shook his head. “You have no power here, you never have. Any power you had is back in Westros, and even that is limited. The Britannias might have struck fear into the hearts of the world once, but no longer. They are settled now, confident in their position and lazy. Even their infamous dragons are gone, the last one that fled was your mother’s, I believe.” Shin sighed and gestured to the throne room. “You may call yourselves dragons, but you are no more dragons than I am. But at least I know my strength and power. You are as weak as your other siblings. Without your alpha your teeth are broken and your claws are blunt.”

Lelouch stared at him, watching Shin smirk before he leaned forward and laughed. He heard Shin make a confused sound, Lelouch shaking his head as he leaned back against the railing. He wrapped his arms around his stomach, laughing even as he heard Shin shouting orders at him. He didn’t stop until Shin stepped up to him, grabbing a fistful of his kimono and pulling him forward.

“What are you laughing at?”

Lelouch shook his head, reaching up to grab onto Shin’s hand. He grabbed onto Shin’s fingers and started to pull them back. Lelouch smiled as Shin’s face contorted in pain, some part of him amused by the way that Shin kept glaring at him. He didn’t know if it was something to be admired or just sheer stupidity.

He let his grin spread wide across his face. “You.”

Shin’s face contorted in rage, but he didn’t get the chance to speak. Lelouch couldn’t turn around, but he could hear the rush of flames and the screams of men. He kept the grin on his face as Shin let go of him, the man rushing to look over the balcony. 

Lelouch pushed away from the railing, not bothering to look over his shoulder. He knew what Shin would be seeing, all of his army scattered and broken. All of them being put to the sword for their crimes, or the ones that didn’t immediately surrender. Lelouch wasn’t sure what Tomoe would do with the ones that did, but she was welcome to them. He wanted his little piece of revenge. It didn’t matter that he had been lying about Suzaku being dead, it didn’t matter that Suzaku was probably out of danger. It only mattered that Shin had dared, and that was enough.

Lelouch walked back into the throne room, meeting the sparkling gaze of all of the dragons. He wrinkled his nose at them, shaking his head before looking at where the two men had been. They both had run off, Lelouch guessing that they had gone as soon as they heard the screams. Of course, where they had gone was the question. Shin was still too new to his power, too sure of it. And it made him want to laugh.

For all of his talking about how he had figured out how the Britannian prince and princesses fought, he had failed to learn.

Lelouch paced back down the hall, pausing to look back at Shin. He was still leaning over the railing, Lelouch unable to hear if he was shouting orders over the screaming that was happening below. It was just fun to watch, like it had been fun to watch Sir Vincent realize what was going to happen to him.

Shin didn’t spend as long trying to figure it out, he rounded on him quickly. Lelouch raised an eyebrow as Shin swayed in place, but the stillness didn’t last long. The man strode towards him, his fingers curled into claws. “What have you done?!”

“What Westrosi omegas do best. We distract.”

Shin looked back over his shoulder, muttering a curse. “Tohdoh.”

“And Tomoe.” Lelouch grinned with Shin finally looked back at him. “She’s got things to settle with you too, but she’s more patient than I. I wanted immediate gratification. I wanted to watch as you figured out what you had done.”

“Bastard!”

Lelouch took a step back, retreating as Shin advanced.  It was surprisingly easy to keep his voice level in the face of Shin’s anger. “You renewed nothing. You saved nothing. You just killed yourself.”

“Whore!”

Lelouch narrowed his eyes, stepping to the side as Shin lunged for him. He kicked at the back of Shin’s knee, bringing the man down to the ground.

Shin went down with a grunt, but he didn’t stay down. Lelouch grabbed at him, fumbling through the holds that Suzaku had taught him. It had been a day of laughter and a kiss exchanged for every success, and the memory just made his anger burn brighter.

He twisted Shin’s arm behind his back, hauling the man up by the hold so his knee was in the small of Shin’s back. “Watch your tongue. You are addressing your shogun’s consort and a prince of Westros. I will not be insulted.”

Shin gave an inarticulate scream of rage, trying to buck him off. Lelouch gritted his teeth and leaned more against Shin, breathing heavily with the effort. His arms shook, Lelouch jerking his head back as Shin tried to knock his head back Lelouch’s. He muttered a curse, glancing down at the fire they were partially kneeling in front of with a smile. He leaned close to Shin again. “If you want to be shogun so badly you need a symbol of power. I’m quite partial to a crown.”

He let up his hold just long enough to see Shin turn his head.  It was good to see his eyes widen, Lelouch letting the realization sit for a moment before shoving Shin forward.

The surprise made it easy, Lelouch shifting his hold before his hands could get close to the fire and molten gold.

Shin jerked in his hold, Lelouch cursing and throwing his whole weight against Shin, panting for breath.

Shin bucked and twisted, Lelouch shutting his eyes and holding on until the movement stopped. Even then he kept pressing down, Lelouch waiting for a moment more just to be sure. He didn’t want to turn his back on Shin, not until he was sure that the man was dead. He’d showed his hand, and he didn’t have another plan if this one failed.

Lelouch carefully let go of Shin, stepping away from the body. He watched it carefully for a moment, backing away from the corpse. When it stayed where it was, Lelouch gave it a satisfied nod. He gave the room one last look, rolling his eyes at the ornate dragons that were curled and twined around everything. He gave them all a dismissive wave before turning on his heel and walking out of the hall.

He didn’t want to linger any longer, not when there were many miles to go. Not when Suzaku would be waiting for him at the end of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ashigaru – Suzaku’s country, fictional equivalent of Japan  
> Avrupa - The fictional equivalent to the Code Geass AU, situated on Essos.


	7. In Eyes Once Familiar, a Stranger I See

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the Day 7 prompt: Rebirth. Continuation of the Julius and Lelouch competing over Suzaku AU ([Part I](http://eachainn.tumblr.com/post/165585072600/what-would-happen-if-julius-and-lelouch-were-twin) \- [Part II](http://eachainn.tumblr.com/post/150216607884/ooooh-what-about-an-au-where-julius-and-lelouch) \- [Part III](http://eachainn.tumblr.com/post/158596742879/can-you-please-write-a-continuation-of-the-prompt))and following from the prompt I wrote earlier this week. Title take from I Know Those Eyes/This Man is Dead from the Count of Monte Cristo Musical.

Suzaku closed his eyes as the woman cut the collar from his neck. He felt the tips of the cutters scrape against his neck as she finished the cut. He heard her mutter an apology, but he didn’t dare make a noise while the collar was still against his neck. Suzaku just settled for a nod, watching as she took the collar and dropped it to the side. She narrowed her eyes at it and gave it a kick, shaking her head when it only clattered a few inches.

“Damn Britannian torture devices. Should be outlawed.” She huffed and looked back at him, the anger on her face deepening. “Fuck.”

Suzaku looked at her before reaching up to touch his neck, hissing at the ring of raw skin he felt there. Some of it was from the collar rubbing, but the other part was because of the collar itself. Any sound that he had made had set off the shock. Suzaku had tried to keep quiet, but some sounds had escaped him during the parade and then when he had been stolen away. He hissed as his fingers found a more tender part of his neck.

He dropped his hand away, letting it fall into his lap. It felt good to have it off, just like it felt good to have the straitjacket loosened. Suzaku couldn’t remember a time in the last week that he’d had it loose enough to move. It had been on Julius’ orders, not that Suzaku was surprised by it. Everyone had been frightened and in an uproar.

Things had already been tense over the past few weeks, especially with the anniversary of Lelouch’s death.

Suzaku closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. He listened to the woman move around the room, tracking more out of habit than anything else. His full attention was on the persistent ache in his chest and the familiar spark of anger. He took a few more deep breaths before opening his eyes.

It was the anniversary that had started all of this. 

It had taken three years but he had managed to get Clovis to see things his way, even if it had been via a strange route. Clovis might not have been ready to grant freedoms to the Japanese people, but he would do them in memory of his brother. Personally, Suzaku was past the point of caring, just as long as something was done. His goals hadn’t changed, they had just expanded. He wanted to see Japan free from Britannian rule, but he also wanted vengeance for Lelouch’s death.

He had thought that he had been close to a kind of vengeance, the one that he had talked himself into accepting. It would be enough if Lelouch’s laws were passed, because then a part of Lelouch would live on. It was the one kind of revenge that he would allow himself because the other kind, the kind that he wanted desperately, would hurt Nunnally, Rolo and Marianne, and he couldn’t do that, not when they had done so much for him.

Everything had been in place until Clovis had invited Julius to watch his brother’s hard work be put into law. Suzaku was sure that Clovis hadn’t known any better. No one had. He was the lucky one who had gotten to know, but only because Julius wanted him to. Suzaku wasn’t even sure Clovis had figured it out in the end, he had died confused to why Julius had shot him for no apparent reason. But Suzaku understood, he had understood from the moment that Julius had turned to grin at him before he fired.

Julius wanted nothing of Lelouch to be remembered. Physically killing his brother hadn’t been enough, all reminders of Lelouch had to be destroyed too.

It was why Suzaku hadn’t been surprised when he’d been arrested moments after Clovis’ death. After all, he was a living reminder of Lelouch and someone who wouldn’t bend to what Julius wanted.

He curled his hand into a fist, jerking his gaze up abruptly as the woman came back to stand in front of him. He swallowed when she looked at him before shaking her head. “I think we might have something to help that.” She gestured at his neck. “It might not be enough for the burns, but it should help with where it chafed. We’ll need to take you down to medical for those.”

Suzaku shrugged, slumping back in the chair. “I have no plans to go anywhere.”

That made the woman smile. She nodded at him, reaching up to adjust her headband. “Good. The boss will probably want to talk to you. Any information you can give us will be helpful, in exchange for saving your life of course.”

Suzaku bristled a bit at the suggestion, but it was more out of habit than disgust. He hadn’t had much time to adjust to his new situation, he had been shuffled around from interrogation to interrogation. The rest of the time he had been trying to figure out what the greater plan was. It was Julius, so there had to be a greater plan, but he hadn’t been able to figure it out. Julius had kept his plans close to his chest, or he had missed the clues. Suzaku wouldn’t have been surprised if it was the latter. He wasn’t used to matching wits with Julius, he had always succeeded by being stubborn enough to wait out whatever Julius had planned.

He nodded wearily. “Yes, but I want information from you too.”

Her eyes widened, the woman freezing in the act of reaching for the door. She shifted in place before turning around to look at him. “You’re in no position to be asking.”

“It’s not about your plans, I don’t care about those. I just want to know if you were the ones at Babel Tower three years ago and if any of you saw what happened there.”

It took her a moment to realize what he was talking about. She stared at him before clearing her throat. “Someone might know something. I’ll ask around, for when you cooperate with us.”

“I don’t plan on fighting.”

The look she gave him said that she didn’t quite believe him, but Suzaku didn’t care. She was probably right to considering all of the rumors that had spread about him.

For years he had been Britannia’s White Knight, the only Number to be admitted to the Knight of the Rounds. Then, for three years, he had been Britannia’s White Reaper, her White Death. He’d been everything that he had needed to be to make something out of the tragedy of Lelouch’s death. He hadn’t fought the Black Knights, but it had been close many times.

He settled back in the chair, watching as she went to open the door again. She had barely closed her fingers around the knob when it was jerked open, the woman stumbling back.

Suzaku almost got to his feet, but he held himself back. No one in the hideout was a threat to him, at least as long as he stuck to their rules, and he had no intention of making himself a threat. At least, not until he learned what he needed.

He watched as the masked man entered the room, recognizing him from before. The man had been the one to catch everyone’s attention with his grand speech and then his threat of poison gas. Suzaku narrowed his eyes, studying the man.

He had heard and seen plenty about the man while serving under Clovis in Japan. He could be dangerous and tricky, but he could also be dramatic. His own rescue was one of those dramatic moments. The man had threatened poison gas, which had sent everyone into a panic, but he had done it when his supporters on the ground hadn’t been wearing gas masks. If he had shown himself to be a callous man, Suzaku would have been angrier, but it had obviously been a feint, just a smoke screen for them to get away.

Suzaku clenched his jaw, letting the tension go a moment later. He could argue all he wanted against the man’s methods, but he would be making himself a hypocrite for it, because he had done the same thing under orders from Britannia. It didn’t make him happy, but he couldn’t deny a certain kind of pleasure to see the Black Knights influencing resistance movements in other countries, especially when they were thwarting Julius’ plans.

He settled for nodding at the man, expecting him to immediately start the interrogation or at least confer with the woman, but he just stood in the doorway. Suzaku tipped his head slightly, his gaze darting to where the woman was staring at him. From the way she held herself, this was strange.

Her gaze darted down to something that the man was holding, reaching for it even as he spoke to him. “I was just coming to get you.”

“Thank you, Kallen.” The man sounded distracted and, from what Suzaku could guess from the way his mask was turned, he wasn’t even looking at her.

The man stepped around her, Suzaku seeing a jar of salve in his hand. He raised an eyebrow, surprised by the sight. He thought that Kallen would have run out and come back with it. He had resigned himself to taking care of himself, either while he was questioned or before, not for the leader of the Black Knights to come to him.

Suzaku glanced back up at Kallen, watching as she shook her head. She reached back to shut the door behind her, leaning against it.

He didn’t get much time to watch her because the man was reaching out to tip his chin back. Suzaku swallowed at the gentle touch to his jaw, letting the man turn his head from side to side. The man’s breath shuddered as he exhaled, the sound loud with how close he was to Suzaku. “They treated you rather roughly. Are those…”

“Burns.” Kallen spoke up from her place by the door. “Damn collar was turned up to its highest setting.”

“They shouldn’t burn at that setting.”

Kallen shrugged. “Then they tampered with it.” Her gaze jumped back to him. “It makes me wonder if you did kill Clovis.”

“No.” Suzaku tried not to stare as the masked man removed one of his gloves and popped open the jar of salve. He opened his mouth to protest, but he was too late. He shuddered at the cool touch of salve against the strip of irritated shin around his neck. Suzaku breathed out slowly, closing his eyes. He took a moment before he dared to open them again.

From the way that Kallen was staring at him, what was happening was irregular. Suzaku expected her reaction, because he couldn’t imagine that the leader of the Black Knights would do this to anyone. Then again, her reaction meant that it wasn’t an interrogation technique. Suzaku’d had plenty of times when Julius had tried to convince him that he was really his friend. It hadn’t worked, although Suzaku wasn’t sure it was meant to have worked at all. For all he knew it was another one of Julius games.

He swallowed, letting the masked man tip his head to further to the side. He felt the man work around the side of his neck towards the back. Suzaku tried to look at the man out of the corner of his eye before giving up. “I was just in the room when Julius shot him. The whole thing was a set up.”

Kallen nodded slowly, her fingers drumming out a pattern on her arms. Her careful consideration didn’t last long, Kallen shaking her head. “So what did he arrest you for?”

“I wouldn’t fuck him.”

Suzaku felt the masked man’s fingers stutter in their task, the motion leaving a smear of salve down his neck. He heard the man curse, the careful touch to his neck quick to return. That wasn’t enough to make Suzaku look at him.

The man must have felt his gaze because he spoke up, his voice distorted by the mask. “You’re a Knight of the Round, you’re above the law.”

“I  _was_  a Knight of the Round. Apparently I was an experiment, one that failed. Numbers are not to be trusted with the honor of being a Knight of the Round.” Suzaku cleared his throat, ignoring the flash of hurt. It was beyond him at the moment, so there was no reason to focus on it. Besides, he would have been stripped of the position with what he was planning anyway. “The announcement came the day after I was arrested.”

“Bastards.” Kallen spat the word out, but there was a smile on her face. “But that’s their loss. Imagine the looks on their faces when they realize that we have their White Death.”

“KALLEN!”

She jumped at the shout, giving the masked man a glare before reaching back to shove the door open. “Don’t keep him to yourself for too long,  _Zero_.”

Suzaku frowned at the emphasis that Kallen put on the name, but she was gone before he could ask anything else. The door slammed behind her, leaving him alone with Zero.

He swallowed, suddenly aware of the fact that he was alone with the leader of the Black Knights, and Zero was still tending to his neck. It was enough to make him want to push Zero away and finish the job himself. He didn’t want kindness, not until he knew where he stood.

He cleared his throat. “Zero-”

“Ignore her.”

“So you don’t intend to ask for my help or what I know?”

It was impossible to see the man’s expression, but his shoulders twitched. Suzaku wasn’t sure what it meant, but he didn’t get a chance to think over it for too longer.

Zero stood up and stepped away, looking at him with what Suzaku could only assume was a serious expression. “We would appreciate what you can give us, but we won’t force you to do anything.”

“Then you rescued me for nothing.”

“Not for nothing. You are one of the few voices from the royal court that were talking about freeing Japan.”

“Were.”

Zero shook his head. “You are still a Knight of the Round, they can’t take it away from you.”

“Britannia has a habit of taking things away from people.” Suzaku looked at Zero, watching for any kind of body language. When the man remained still, Suzaku shook his head. “I’ll give you everything that I can, but I just want to know who was at Babel Tower three years ago. I want to know what happened to Prince Lelouch. We were never given a body. We buried an empty coffin and it would help his family.” Suzaku paused to take a deep breath. “It would help  _me._ ”

Zero stayed still, Suzaku staring at him before shaking his head. “I’ll report what I can, and then I’ll go looking. I’ll help where I can but…this comes first.”

He turned to go, expecting to be stopped immediately. To his surprise, he was allowed to get close to the door. Suzaku reached for the knob but hesitated, waiting to be called back. All things considering, it was not the behavior that he expected from the Black Knights. They were more lax than he expected from the main problem of Area 11. Considering what they could get from him, he was surprised that he was being allowed so much free rein.

He shook his head, ready to open the door when Zero spoke again. “Suzaku.”

There was a hint of a command in his voice, enough to make Suzaku turn around.

His eyes widened as Zero reached for the back of his mask. He curled his fingers into something in the back, Suzaku jumping at a click. The sound seemed loud in the small room. Suzaku wasn’t sure if he jumped or not, he couldn’t do anything but watch as Zero pulled the mask from his head.

He felt his heart start pounding as the black hair that was revealed first, his mouth going dry as Zero lifted the mask away completely. Suzaku sucked in a quick breath, unable to move as he stared at Zero’s face.

It was a face he knew and missed. It was a face that he thought he would never see again.

Suzaku took a step back, leaning against the door to keep himself upright. He was sure if it wasn’t there, he would fall right over. He reached back to brace his hands on the door, hoping that it would help keep him upright, especially when the man smiled.

“It’s good to see you again, Suzaku.”

Suzaku took a deep breath, feeling it shake as he exhaled.

“Lelouch.”


End file.
